Surya’s announcement threw the entire board room into chaos. Leo fought the urge to run and held his ground. All of the Holgelds, Surya’s siblings and cousins, screamed at Surya, screamed at Leo, and screamed at each other.

Leo noticed only three people in the room were silent: him, Surya, and most conspicuously Romus Holgeld. Romus, the ominous patriarch and CEO, had not said a single word since Surya announced that Leo was a Holgeld and the rightful heir to all of Opal Corp. Not only was Romus silent, he had not taken his eyes off of Leo for an instant.

Yarah Holgeld, Surya’s sister and Romus’ oldest daughter, was able to raise her voice above the rest. “Surya, this latest bid for attention is your most obnoxious yet. We all know that you want Daddy to give you the company and now that you can no longer prance about in a tiara and princess dress, you’re willing to stoop to any low to recapture his favor.”

Farthen saw this as an opportunity to pile on Surya as well. “You wouldn’t believe what rumors she’s spreading about me. We all know you’re the baby, Surya, but it’s time for you to grow up.”

Yarah looked down her nose as Leo. “And to bring this filthy street youth in as your prop is embarrassing even for you, Surya. Look at his hair, look at his fingernails. You can dress him up in an expensive suit, but it’s clear that you dragged this creature straight from the gutter.”

Leo buried his embarrassment. He wasn’t too familiar with Yarah Holgeld but he immediately hated her. Leo realized that he had a lot of work to do to ever fit into this family, let alone take it over for himself.

Farthen was ready to go in for the kill. “I think we’ve seen enough. Surya is clearly not ready for any level of responsibility within Opal Corp. I motion that she be removed from the small pity of a role she’s been given in the company until enough time has passed that she proves herself a respectable member of the family once again.”

Yarah’s hand shot up. “I second the motion. I add that Surya should also be strongly encouraged to take a long vacation to the family island estate and remain there until we say so.”

To Leo this sounded like Surya was essentially being exiled and jailed, or at least as close as it came to such a thing when the super wealthy were involved. Leo watched Surya very carefully, she seemed ready to make her move.

Cryia waved away what Farthen and Yarah had been saying. “I want to hear what Daddy thinks. So, Daddy. I say that Leo here is a long lost member of our family. What do you have to say to that?”

Romus tapped his fingers on the great black boardroom table. “I am your father and your CEO. I don’t have to say anything. But, before this family makes any decisions,I will have all non-family members, or should I say non-confirmed family members leave the room.”

With a subtle motion of his index finger, Romus dismissed all of the assistants, attendants and security that the Holgelds had brought with them. Surya gave Leo a nod, this meant him as well.

As soon as Leo was in the hallway, Jorash Morgeld was right there to get into his face. “Is this true, Leo? Were you holding out on me during our Interview? Are you really a Holgeld? You have to tell me.”

It was clear to Leo that Jorash wasn’t being as cocky and dismissive as when they last interacted. Leo believed that Jorash was playing both sides, if Leo really was a Holgeld, Jorash needed to suck up to him to earn the Morgelds a better place within the cadet branches.

Leo looked Jorash straight in the eyes. “This is the first I’ve ever heard of it. I grew up in the foster system and came here as Surya’s bodyguard. This surprises me as much as it does anyone else.”

Leo impressed himself at how well he was able to weave the truths and the lies together. Yet more proof that he might actually be a Holgeld after all.

Jorash wasn’t completely convinced. “If it turns out that you’re lying or that Surya Holgeld is lying, then I’ll be happy to kick you right back down to the streets where you belong. And that’s a long way to fall, Leo. It might hurt more than you think.”

Leo had had enough of Jorash since the moment they met, them being on the top floor of Opal Corp Executive Headquarters together changed nothing. “I’d be careful if I were you, Jorash. A Morgeld calling a Holgeld a liar is pretty risky.”

Jorash noticed that the other assistants and security guards were watching his and Leo’s conversation intently. Jorash panicked. “That’s not what I’m saying. I would never accuse a Holgeld of anything of the sort. My loyalty to my boss Farthen is unquestionable.”

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Leo shrugged. “If you say so, Jorash. Just a bit of advice from another new hire like yourself.”

The door to the boardroom slid open and Surya motioned for Leo to come back inside. Jorash tried to follow, but Surya put her hand up. “Just him for now.”

Leo felt a bead of sweat growing on his forehead as he re-entered the ornate meeting room. As expected, all eyes were again on him. Cyra leaned into his ear. “Be extremely careful what you say.”

The doors closed ominously behind Leo. Romus turned his full attention to Leo. Leo could feel Romus’ eyes boring through him like a drill. “Who are you?”

With only three words, Romus was able to turn Leo’s blood cold. Leo stammered for a few moments before he could get out any coherent words. “I’m Leo. I recently started at Opal Corp on the Security Team. I work for Ms. Surya Holgeld. I’m here today for her personal security.”

Romus’ face was completely unreadable. “And before that?”

Leo took a deep breath. “I was nobody. A foster kid. I was kicked out of my last home because I turned eighteen. If I didn’t get this job, I would likely be homeless right now.”

This was hard for Leo to admit while in the room with the richest family in the world, but he saw no reason to lie about it.

Farthen squirmed in his seat. “We are to believe that some nobody landed a job protecting my sister? She might be the snotty little pipsqueak of the family but she’s still a Holgeld.”

Yarah got his attention. “He performed exceptionally well in his Interview. I just checked into it.”

This surprised Leo, he never expected Yarah to come to his defense, if that was indeed what she was doing. Leo thought he should remember this.

Surya interjected next. “I had my reasons for choosing him. I had some suspicions that were later confirmed when I saw Leo’s Sorcery first hand. He uses magic like only a Holgeld can.”

Romus raised an eyebrow. “Is this true? You’re a Sorcerer?”

Leo nodded. “I used my magic to protect Surya. On an assignment.”

Farthen sneered. “I know exactly what kind of assignment. So, Leo, you’re telling me that you had no idea you were a Holgeld? Not until Surya announced it in this very room.”

Leo hesitated. He couldn’t reveal that the Adept Voluss had revealed Leo’s origins to him, that Leo was on a mission to take over the entire company as revenge for his horrible childhood. He had to lie. “Yes.”

The air flashed red around Leo. Rings of red smoke circled around his chest and arms. Leo was trapped. A spell had gone off. Yarah stood up. “He’s lying. My spell confirms it.”

Farthen grinned. “I knew it. He’s some fake, some imposter. Maybe he’s warped our sister’s mind? I say he’s too dangerous to live.”

Farthen held out his hands, sparks of black electricity danced among his fingers. He was charging up a spell. Leo’s magic system revealed that the spell would indeed be fatal.

Leo looked at the other members of the Holgeld family. None were going to stop Farthen. Even Romus looked unmoved by what was happening. Leo could tell he wouldn’t be the first person killed in this boardroom or the last.

Farthen shot out bolts of black lightning. Just before they reached Leo, Surya stepped in front of him. She summoned a large shield of magic and Farthen’s bolts bounced off. The bolts shatter one of the nearby windows. Cold air blows in, sending documents swirling around the boardroom in a great commotion.

Surya casts a counterspell and Leo shakes himself free of the red smoke that was binding him. Surya spreads her defensive shield wider. “Run, Leo.”

Leo doesn’t think twice, he sprints out of the board room as fast as he can. He was only a level three Sorcerer after all. Any one of the Holgeld family could evaporate him in an instant.

The hallway outside the boardroom is empty. The others must have been dismissed. Leo’s luck doesn’t last long as an alarm sounds. Before Leo can make it to the elevator, two Executive Security Guards rush up the stairwell.

One pointed right at Leo. “Stop right there.”

The Security Guards each cracked a spell capsule and their metal batons glowed with magical red energy. Leo was ready for them.

Leo called his Sorcerer Magic System. “I need my Flame Arc. Now!”

Leo shot out his whip of solid flame which he swung across the face of the first security guard. The guard cried out in pain and went down clutching his face.

The second guard was right on top of Leo, the range was too close for Leo to use his Flame arc. Leo had another trick up his sleeve. “Hammer of the Ancients.”

Leo’s Magic System spoke up in his ear. “Are you sure, Leo? That only works on inorganic material.”

Leo was absolutely sure. “I know what I’m doing. Trust me.”

Leo summoned the spectral hammer and swung it against the Security Guard’s baton. The baton shattered into pieces. One of the glowing pieces hit the Security Guard in the chest and knocked him across the hallway with concussive damage.

Leo reached down and got the Guard’s walkie talkie. “Bethany, are you there?”

The walkie talkie beeped. Bethany was on the other end. “Leo? Switch to channel three, it’s private.”

Leo did so. “Bethany, I’m in trouble. Can you get me out of here? I swear I’ll explain later.”

Bethany didn’t even hesitate. “Of course, Leo. No questions asked. Get on the elevator. I’ll meet you down in the basement and I can sneak you out the back.”

Leo had never felt more grateful. “Thank you times a million, Beth. I know you’re putting your new job on the line. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

Leo could hear her smiling broadly over the walkie talkie. “Don’t even mention it. You did buy me champagne, after all!”

Leo rushed to the elevator and pushed the button for the basement. The elevator moved downwards and Leo let out a huge sigh of relief.

But it was all short lived as the elevator came to a halt and then started moving back up. Leo pressed every button he could but the elevator kept moving. Finally it came to a stop and let out a ding.

The doors opened and Leo was in the last place he expected himself to be. It was the largest, most luxurious office Leo had ever seen. The owner of the office was there to meet Leo.

Romus Holgeld’s lip curled into a smile. “Take a seat, Leo. We need to talk.”